Saved from the Wrecking Ball: The Farnsworth House

The building might be beautiful, but it ruined the friendship between its owner and its architect. WTTWs Geoffrey Baer tells the dramatic story of Farnsworth House by pioneering modern architect Mies Van Der Rohe. Nestled in a forest along the Fox River south of Aurora, its one of the most important works of 20th century architecture. It survived love affairs, law suits and natural disasters over half a century. But when its owner abruptly put it up for auction in 2003 it looked like it might be carted away as a trophy. This program tells the tale of daring design set against dramatic events. It culminates with a high-stakes auction where a grassroots group stakes everything to save the house.

An American Public Television program, presented by WTTW11 and produced by Towers Productions.